A North East council has been offered the chance to fly a specially made ‘Battle of Orgreave’ flag over its town hall.

It has been designed and made by the Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign (OTJC) group which is fighting for a public inquiry into police actions during picketing at the South Yorkshire coking plant in the year-long miners’ strike.

Around 95 miners were arrested by police on trumped up charges including riot in 1984.

The OTJC has offered the flag to councils in Yorkshire and Derbyshire as well as Durham County Council as four of those falsely arrested were from Durham. Wakefield Council is the first to agree to fly the flag.

In an email to Durham council leader Simon Henig, the OTJC chairman Joe Rollin said: “The Orgreave Campaign are asking a number of councils if they would be willing to show support by flying a flag for justice this week would Durham like to join in this initiative?”

Police officers move into the picket lines at the Orgreave coking plant near Rotherham in Yorkshire in early March 1984 (Image: PA Wire)

A spokesperson for Durham County Council said: “We have been contacted by the Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign and asked to fly its flag. We are currently considering this request in line with our policies on how we support external organisations.”

In a bid to encourage Home Secretary Theresa May to give the go ahead for a public inquiry, the OTJC came up with its flag idea which was made in time for a rally at Orgreave on June 18, the 32nd anniversary of the event.

Campaigners feel the momentum is with them following the recent Hillsborough inquest verdict.

It ruled that the 96 Liverpool fans who died in the 1989 FA Cup semi final were unlawfully killed with the actions of South Yorkshire police held largely to blame.

Many of the force’s actions like falsifying evidence and changing police statements echoed those which took place at Orgreave five years before.

Mr Rollin said: “In recent weeks the demand for the Government to set up an inquiry has become immense.

“People from all over the country – and some from other parts of the world - are telling us they have written to Home Secretary Theresa May urging her to speed up the decision she promised when we made our legal submission to her six months ago.”

Mr Rollin added: “I think the Government might wait until after the June 23 EU referendum vote to make its decision, which I can understand in a way.

“After Hillsborough the demand for accountability of those to whom we entrust the responsibility for ensuring law and order in our communities has become unanswerable.

“Raising the standard for truth and justice ahead of our rally at Orgreave on Saturday June 18 will remind the Government of the urgency of now. Justice yet further delayed is justice denied.”